Mohammed Shami Excluded from Test and ODI Squads for Afghanistan Series

Shami's Current Status and Selection Insights

In Guwahati, Assam, the chief selector of the Indian men's cricket team, Ajit Agarkar, has confirmed that fast bowler Mohammed Shami was not considered for the Test and ODI teams against Afghanistan due to concerns regarding his physical fitness for longer formats of the game.

Agarkar explained that the selectors believe Shami is currently being prepared for T20 cricket, despite his involvement in domestic matches this season, which is why he was not included in the selection discussions.

Shami remains absent from the national squad, having last represented India in an ODI in March 2025. He is currently playing in the 2026 Indian Premier League, where he has claimed 10 wickets in 12 matches, with an economy rate of 8.81.

Agarkar stated, "As far as we know, his body is currently suited for T20 cricket. He has participated in the domestic season, but the information we have indicates that he is ready for T20s only. Therefore, there was no discussion about his selection," he told reporters.

The chief selector also highlighted that Auqib Nabi is a strong contender for the Test squad, thanks to his impressive performances in recent domestic seasons, including a notable Ranji Trophy campaign this year.

While Nabi was a topic of discussion during selection meetings and came close to being selected, India ultimately opted for a pace attack consisting of three seamers.

Agarkar commended Nabi for his exceptional performances representing Jammu & Kashmir, stating, "Nabi has not only excelled this season but also had a successful previous season. While we don't typically select many seamers for a Test team in India, he was a strong candidate. However, we decided to go with the three seamers we have chosen, but there was definitely a conversation about him," he added.

Nabi concluded the 2026 Ranji Trophy season with an impressive tally of 60 wickets, including seven five-wicket hauls.

India's Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Gurnoor Brar.